The party found a few curious texts during their adventure in Drydale. Here are the relevant details:
Blake's Diary
A few brown dog-eared pages remain from his days in the Legion. During the Deepwater Rebellion, Blake was drafted into a special unit sent to bring VIPs out of enemy-controlled zones all over Trident Gulf. Many were loyal Viridians fleeing persecution from the rebels, or at least that's what Blake was told; he seemed skeptical. Each had an identifying mark in common. A circling snake tattoo on the left forearm. It was never explained, but he assumed they were part of a gang of thieves.
He describes a rebel attack on their safehouse that went terribly wrong - they barely escaped and the man Blake was guarding died of his injuries soon after. He carried a copy of The Great Devourer which Blake kept and read. After these events he left the Legion and vowed to stay away from the oceans. He implies much in the diary but seems afraid to state things openly.
Several pages in the middle have been carefully cut out. After this gap there is only dull reportage about Blake's retirement, his farm, raising his daughter, etc.
The Great Devourer
A well-worn leather book with its title in flaking gilt scrollwork. Most of the text is flowery and morbid poetry describing the great worm Ouroboros sleeping in the ocean, waiting to swallow the whole world at the end of time. Cryptic metaphors and references abound and the poem's final resolution is unclear. Is Ouroboros supposed to be a monster, demon, god or something else entirely?
The second half seems to be a magical or occult treatise written in an ancient language or perhaps code. Any spellcasting character can attempt to decipher its contents, but it will take time and there is no predicting what mind-bending revelations or occult dangers might be concealed in the text.
[Any M-U, elementalist, cleric or elf who wishes to study the book closely: roll a d20 modified by your INT score (use the same progression as for STR or CON: 9-12 = no bonus, 13-15 = +1, 16-17 = +2, 18 = +3) and tell me the result. Alternatively it could be brought to someone's mentor, a sage or some other scholar if you want help.]
Satchel of Messenger's Papers
Found on Sir Karavon's corpse. A few crumpled papers, spotted with unknown brown stains. They mention two individuals of interest:
Lan Gaspar was relocated to the hamlet of Yakin Ley in the Brotbuckle Briars and has lived there ever since. He appears to be the local priest! What do we need him for anyway? Please advise.
I found Alekto. It would seem unbelievable, but he lives right under our noses! He is a leech and alchymist right here in Viridistan and owns a small country home near Midwall. His business is administered by his assistant Zhrana, and he rarely appears in public. He has taken pains to conceal his old identity and goes by the name Hooktong Ash now. I'll bet he would pay any sum so the Black Adders don't learn that an old rebel lives in their city!
Lan Gaspar was relocated to the hamlet of Yakin Ley in the Brotbuckle Briars and has lived there ever since. He appears to be the local priest! What do we need him for anyway? Please advise.
I found Alekto. It would seem unbelievable, but he lives right under our noses! He is a leech and alchymist right here in Viridistan and owns a small country home near Midwall. His business is administered by his assistant Zhrana, and he rarely appears in public. He has taken pains to conceal his old identity and goes by the name Hooktong Ash now. I'll bet he would pay any sum so the Black Adders don't learn that an old rebel lives in their city!
Mysterious Blackened Tome
It seems to have awakened somehow, when Eric got blood on it. Words have appeared on the pages in bright crimson script:
Greetings. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?
[Lothos answered the book. It goes by the name of Pheldrazash and seems to know many secrets, including some magic spells it is willing to teach.]
Some rumours are circulating about shady goings-on that might be profitable in the port of Targnol, a small city about a week's march from Viridistan. It might be worth detouring to investigate one or both on the way back to the capital, at your option:
- A minor thieving crew called the Tenebrous Hand have stolen an ancient artifact of no small value. Well-placed bribes have kept the authorities out of it, but the original owners - a rich merchant consortium from Midwall - want their piece back and would probably pay generously. Hand members are often seen drinking in a dive bar called The Dog & Bastard.
[The group visited Philotheos' home in Session 2.]
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